I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma just 2 weeks after learning I was pregnant with my fourth child. I was able to have chemotherapy while I was pregnant, deliver a healthy baby and eventually graduate from Nursing School. Class of December 2011! I am now 13 years in remission and my little girl Gabbi is 13 old. This blog tells our story.
Friday, May 1, 2009
A Song I Like
Here is a song that will take you back...to 1992. This song is called "Stay" by Shakespear's Sister. I don't really know that they had many hits but I do remember this one! Just hearing the song was beautiful. The video is very definitely odd, but still it tells a story I think. I see the man sick possibly with cancer, in bed and dying. The woman is fighting for him to stay and death is trying to take him. In the end, he wins the battle and death doesn't take him. So, look past the early 90's fashion and enjoy! :)
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Another Swine Flu Post
Why not? There are a ton out there and this being a health blog I figured I'd mention it. First and foremost I do believe in respecting others. How? First of all I wash my hands. (Not to mention I just like to be clean) I cover a sneeze or cough. I stay away from people if I am sick. It's just a common courtesy. It's the people with weakened immune systems that will get the worst of this. Like those with cancer.
I have been in remission now for over a year. My doctor told me my blood tests would never give anyone a clue I ever had cancer. I am no different than anyone else. That's very reassuring. I have read things about immune systems never being the same after Hodgkin's Disease. I think I'll just go with what my docs says.
This post is not to talk really about the swine flu or how you need to panic because I truly believe there is no need to panic. I worry when it comes to my kids but I'll be honest. I worry at the thought of my kids catching ANY sickness...or any flu. I remember a couple of years ago a lot of kids died from a particular strain of flu going around. I was pretty scared then. I am less scared now than I was at that time. But I do have a baby...and I am not far out of remission so I do try to be careful. This post is to ask others to be considerate. If you feel sick, stay home. Trust me, no one wants you at work right now. No one wants your children at school. No one will question you right now. Take advantage of it. Seriously, we must protect others with the weakened immune systems. I do believe if the proper precautions are taken we can minimize the number of people who are seriously ill from this flu.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Eventful Week and Consistency
It's been a busy week and it's only Wednesday. I don't really feel like going into all the details but basically I believe my 9 year old daughter has IBS or your basic irritable bowel. I think she always has. She finally saw the doc and they were honestly saying constipation. That just makes no sense to me. She has had that issue many times before, but this time she has had diarrhea. She is shy and will absolutely NOT use the restroom in public so sometimes constipation IS an issue. She has always had tummy issues. Regardless....as a mom and a person who has tried to improve her tummy since she was TWO I am pretty positive she has IBS. Things irritate her tummy and she has always got a million bubbles in her tummy. I rub her tummy and it feels like snap, crackle and pop in there. Anyway they gave her a med to soften and get things moving. Why would you do that for someone who has had the runs? LOL Sorry to be blunt but seriously. I am so confused by this. She seems improved today so that's good. I wasn't around yesterday much because I got a call from the school with her complaining of another tummy ache so I picked her up and we went into the doc.
As for consistency...well I speak of my sleep pattern. I have a very regular series of things that helps me to sleep at night. While I was very sick it was hard to NOT concentrate on how difficult it was to breathe. It was hard to take my mind off of it. So I developed a night time routine that got to be so cozy and just relaxing that it still helps me to fall asleep. You may laugh, but it involves TV. When gasping for air and hurting to even lie down it's next to impossible to pick up a book and read, so I didn't (and couldn't) do much of that. I turned on the TV at night but I didn't want hyper, fast paced, or loud shows. I found Lifetime and at night turned on a Frasier. I like that show. I love how snooty they are and yet they have no idea how incredibly insane they are at the same time. I also loved watching The Golden Girls.
Normally I would fall asleep before the shows ended. It was something to get me calm, quiet, peaceful and then asleep. It always worked. I fell in love with the Golden Girls while I was sick. I haven't stopped watching them since. So I was deeply saddened when Estelle Getty passed away this past year and of course, just recently we lost Bea Arthur. They will be missed and I'll never forget how they got me through some rough nights.
*Do NOT forget to enter my giveaway!!! Read post below and comment to enter! It's not a hard one to enter...just leave a comment saying how you would use the 250 postcards you could win! It's so simple. Repost on your blog with links to gain a second entry...just scroll down or click here and enter!
http://pregnantcancer.blogspot.com/2009/04/my-very-first-giveaway.html
As for consistency...well I speak of my sleep pattern. I have a very regular series of things that helps me to sleep at night. While I was very sick it was hard to NOT concentrate on how difficult it was to breathe. It was hard to take my mind off of it. So I developed a night time routine that got to be so cozy and just relaxing that it still helps me to fall asleep. You may laugh, but it involves TV. When gasping for air and hurting to even lie down it's next to impossible to pick up a book and read, so I didn't (and couldn't) do much of that. I turned on the TV at night but I didn't want hyper, fast paced, or loud shows. I found Lifetime and at night turned on a Frasier. I like that show. I love how snooty they are and yet they have no idea how incredibly insane they are at the same time. I also loved watching The Golden Girls.
Normally I would fall asleep before the shows ended. It was something to get me calm, quiet, peaceful and then asleep. It always worked. I fell in love with the Golden Girls while I was sick. I haven't stopped watching them since. So I was deeply saddened when Estelle Getty passed away this past year and of course, just recently we lost Bea Arthur. They will be missed and I'll never forget how they got me through some rough nights.
*Do NOT forget to enter my giveaway!!! Read post below and comment to enter! It's not a hard one to enter...just leave a comment saying how you would use the 250 postcards you could win! It's so simple. Repost on your blog with links to gain a second entry...just scroll down or click here and enter!
http://pregnantcancer.blogspot.com/2009/04/my-very-first-giveaway.html
Monday, April 27, 2009
A New Website To Check Out
Whether you are someone who is pregnant with cancer, you know someone who has been or you are just someone willing to offer some support please check out a new site and join in the message boards! I was contacted recently by a woman who went through all that I have. She was diagnosed with cancer while pregnant. She had treatments while pregnant including chemo. She had her little girl a little earlier than I did but she is now a healthy 3 year old! Miracles still happen and we have gotten together hoping to offer comfort, support and guidance to anyone going through what we did. It can be a time when you are very alone. You shouldn't be! I want anyone who reads this blog here to go on over and sign up too. Right now it's 3 of us. The goal is to offer support. We can all offer support!
Just click the image above or go to www.pregnantwithcancer.com to sign up! Join right in on the discussions.
*Do NOT forget to enter my giveaway!!! Read post below and comment to enter! It's not a hard one to enter...just leave a comment saying how you would use the 250 postcards you could win! It's so simple. Repost on your blog with links to gain a second entry...just scroll down or click here and enter!
http://pregnantcancer.blogspot.com/2009/04/my-very-first-giveaway.html
Just click the image above or go to www.pregnantwithcancer.com to sign up! Join right in on the discussions.
*Do NOT forget to enter my giveaway!!! Read post below and comment to enter! It's not a hard one to enter...just leave a comment saying how you would use the 250 postcards you could win! It's so simple. Repost on your blog with links to gain a second entry...just scroll down or click here and enter!
http://pregnantcancer.blogspot.com/2009/04/my-very-first-giveaway.html